Singapore’s Hottest New Restaurants

May 20 2016

May is shaping up to be a thoroughly eclectic affair in Singapore, with new openings including a NYC burger joint, a traditional Cantonese eatery and even a Japanese pancake restaurant. Here’s Just Opened London’s guide to Singapore’s best new foodie havens.

Burger Joint

Burger Joint

Having opened branches in Abu Dhabi and Seoul, New York’s Burger Joint, originally located behind an infamous velvet curtain at Le Parker Meridien Hotel, will be coming to the streets of Singapore this month – accessed, no doubt, through a mysteriously unassuming door on Gemmill Street that you have to be in the know (at least for the first few weeks) to find.

Despite its air of trendiness, the burgers here are refreshingly unpretentious. Diners simply choose between a straightforward hamburger and cheeseburger, select the toppings of their choice from the thoroughly traditional list – think more pickles and onions than truffle oil – and how they would like their burger done. The team behind Burger Joint Singapore has dubbed it the ‘anti-gourmet burger’, and it’s easy to see why.

Ninja Bowl

Ninja Bowl

Ninja Bowl fits right in amongst the hipster haunts on Duxton Road, but beneath the unfinished, industrial interior is a welcoming and affordable all-day eatery.

There’s an all-day brunch menu, including the intriguing ‘Gyu & Tama’, slow-cooked beef cheek with mushroom scrambled eggs and sun-dried tomatoes on toast, as well as an extensive list of sandwiches, desserts and light bites. But it’s the Asian-fusion ‘Ninja Bowls’ that are the real attraction – laden with seafood, crispy pork belly, vegetable sauces and grains.

Sky View Kitchen

Sky View Kitchen

At first glance, the new Cantonese eatery that’s got Singaporean foodies abuzz seems unremarkable, tucked away in a simple restaurant at the slightly-too-touristy-to-be-cool Singapore Flyer.

But the menu is something that the Chinese food scene hasn’t seen in a while – good quality, unapologetically traditional fare. The team at Sky View Kitchen has bucked the current trend for over-the-top, fusion cuisine to focus instead on the classics. The handmade dim sum is juicy and plump with straightforward, high-quality ingredients and the deep fried chicken wings in shrimp paste are burnished, crispy and succulent.

Captain K Seafood Tower

Captain K Seafood Tower

Singapore’s appetite for all things Korean hasn’t been satisfied yet and the newest craze is being served up, stack-high at Captain K Seafood Tower – nine tiers high, as a matter of fact.

The seafood contained in each of the nine tiers will vary depending on the season – but expect delicacies such as prawns, scallops, mussels, clams and squid. The tiers are steamed together to produce a heady seafood-infused broth in the final layer known as ‘The Seabed’. This is a Korean food trend we can get behind.

Bistro French Quays

Bistro French Quays

Bistro French Quays brings a little bit of France to Sentosa Cove’s Quayside Isle. In a bid for authenticity, the team behind the bistro even goes so far as to fly in certain ingredients from France itself.

Unsurprisingly, the menu is thoroughly traditional, with staples such as duck confit, seafood cassoulet and coq au vin. The desserts are equally familiar, including Calvados flambé waffles.

Kyushu Pancake Bar

Kyushu Pancake Bar

Finally, for something completely different, Kyushu Pancake – the Japanese pancake powerhouse – is opening its first branch in Singapore this month, in Novena Regency.

These ‘healthy pancakes’, made with several different Japanese grains, and served with toppings ranging from the ever-popular salted caramel to the slightly unusual Matcha Montblanc or Eggs Benedict. You can even buy the secret pancake mix and try your hand at making them at home.

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